Is it just me, or do they all seem to go hand in hand more often than not? Dependence/"velcro-dog" syndrome and biddability make intuitive sense to me - after all, the independent dog likely wants to think independently as well and thus may have other ideas than listening to the trainer. But energy seems to be right there as well.

I ask because I've been thinking about my future dog and what I like to live with and what I don't and it seems I've stumbled upon this interesting catch-22 of sorts. When it comes down to it, I think that there are two things that would drive me up a wall faster than anything else: noisiness and lack of an ability to settle (while I love training, I'd prefer this ability to be less of a trained "stay at your place" and more of a natural thing. And no - playing independently with a squeaky isn't the same as settling in my eyes).

I like Boo's energy. From the day that we got her (@ around 2 or 3 years old), she always had impeccable house manners. She settles well, doesn't always need to be up someone's butt, etc. Yet, she LOVES to do things and go out when we give her the opportunity. I really really like that slight independence/grace/composure about her.

At the same time, I would love to have a dog that's naturally a bit more biddable. Boo is more than happy to work with me, but she doesn't have the "let me do something for you PLEASE!" attitude. I would love a dog who, with a bit of work (but not so much that I give up), can be let off leash in public spaces with a solid enough recall that I can get it back to me even with another dog approaching or a squirrel nearby. I get that it's as much about training as it is about natural behaviors/willingness to please. But, I also recognize that there's absolutely something to be said for genetics.

So, here's the general question. Are there any breeds that you know of that are notoriously biddable, but also notoriously well-mannered before they've just settled with age? I'd be interested on the flip side as well (though I think that's a bit more common) - of dogs who have a ton of boundless energy, but really don't give a crap what their owner thinks (I'm thinking some terriers haha)...

Sighthounds and spitz type dogs strike me in the very "well-mannered" category, with dogs like border collies and malinois in the very biddable category. Are there any that are extremes of both?

And yes, I get that a mature golden retriever, lab, aussie, or border collie even could fit the bill quite well - but I'm wanting this to be more of a general breed thing and less of a "dog for me!" thread